Manufacture of cigarettes



Filed June 14, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l T ifi 000 000 a 000 7 oo 2 oo o o 0 l w lmn June 13, 1939.

June 1939- w. F. M. EDWARDS MANUFACTURE OF CIGARETTES 2 Sheets-Sheet? 2 Filed June 14, 1937 T"'F"''Fa""':""fl '.'.':::':5:.'. 5 L9 INV-ENTOR V 9 W. F. M. EDWARDS AHHHHHBV/ i) v MJWQ J ATTORNEYS Patented June 13, 1939 UNITED STATES:

PATENT OFFICE Application June14,

In Great Britain 10 Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement in or modification of the method and apparatus described and claimed in the co -pending application No. 63,803, filed February 13, 1936, for

the manufacture of filter tip cigarettes.

In accordance with the aforesaid co-pending application cigarettes or lengths of cigarette rod and filter tips or stub portions are assembled in alignment and caused to abut axially by means of fixed guides engaging the outer ends of the assemblages before application of the latter on to a conveyor such as a drum or endless belt whereby the assemblages with which uniting bands have been brought into contact are carried into engagement with a fixed or relatively moving member between which and the conveyor the assemblages are rolled so as to wrap the uniting bands therearound.

It has been found that in order to ensure consistent production of satisfactory products under ordinary factory conditions it is necessary or highly desirable to provide for maintenance of slight axial pressure towards one another of the lengths comprising each assemblage while the latter is undergoing the rolling operation so as to counteract the natural tendency of the assemblage elements to separate during rolling.

The present invention is particularly applicable for use with the embodiment or modification of the apparatus shown and described in the aforesaid co-pending application wherein the conveyor is in the form of an endless belt and in which the rolling of the assemblages takes place between the belt and a stationary member.

The present invention has for its object, therefore, to provide a method and means whereby slight axial pressure may be applied to the lengths comprising each assemblage during the rolling operation without employing any guiding means engaging the outer ends of the assemblage and Without any such high degree of axialpressure as would result in shortening or compression of the lengths constituting the assemblage.

The invention is hereinafter described'by way of example with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of apparatus according to one embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a plan View of the conveying means shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a side elevation fication;

Figure 4 is a plan View of the conveying means shown in Figure 3; and

Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8 are cross-sections on the illustrating a modi- OF CIGARE-TTES Frederick Maitland Edwards, Esher,

assignor to Filter Tips Limited,

1937, Serial No. 148,212

February 3, 1937 lines V-V, VI-VI, VII-VII and VIII-VIII in Figure 4.

Figure 9 is a sectional view taken on line IX-IX of Figure 4.

In one embodiment, a conveyor is provided con- 5 sisting of three endless belts l, 2 and 2a arranged side by side. The central belt l preferably is perforated so that the uniting bands previously coated with adhesive, may be retained thereon by suction and fed thereby up to the rolling position 10 at which the assemblages, each consisting of a double length stub portion 1 and two cigarette portions 8, 8a are transferred on to the conveyor from an assembling drum 5 or from a suitable transfer device, it'being understood that before application on to the uniting band carried on the central belt the lengths l, 8, 8a comprising each assemblage have been pressed axially into abutting contact. The wrapping of the uniting bands 4 around the assemblages is effected by rolling of the assemblages between the conveyor 1 and a stationary plate 6 in accordance with the aforesaid copending application.

According to the present invention the two outer belts 2, 2a are arranged so as to converge towards the central belt I in the direction of movement and thus during the rolling operation these convergent belts 2, 2a will tend to press the outer parts 8, 8a of the assemblage towards one another and thereby ensure maintenance of abutting contact with the stub portion 1 d ing the rolling operation. The three belts l, 2, 2a are driven in unison and the two outer belts 2, 2a may be driven through universal joints or equivalent means so that the angle of convergence may be adjusted as required.

As shown in the drawings, belt I is supported at one end by roller la and at the other end by another roller not shown. Roller la is mounted on a fixed frame lb. Belts 2 and 2a are each 40 mounted on a pair of rollers 21) and 20 supported in a frame 2d which is constructed to pivot about point 26.

In a modification, as illustrated in Figures 3 to 8, a single conveyor belt 9, preferably of a width greater than the length of the assemblage, is utilised and during a part of its travel at which the rolling operation takes place the two outer or marginal portions of the belt 9 pass over substantially longitudinally extending grooves or troughs l0, Illa in a suction table I I, such grooves or troughs Illa being of gradually increasing depth and/ or width in the direction of movement of the belt 9 so that during the rolling operation the belt 9 is, by the action of suction, contracted plicable for uniting assemblages embodying sin gle cigarettes and single filter tips,- or embodying more than three parts united by the application simultaneously of two or more=uniting bands;

What I claim is: 1. In the manufacture of filter tip cigarettes by uniting an assemblage of cigarette anclmouthpiece stub portions in abutting contactbyaunlt:

ing band, the steps comprising rolling the assemblage between relatively movable surfaces, and

frictional-1y applying-.slightlaxial pressure to the portions of the assemblage in such manner as to maintain the abutting: contact of such portions during the rolling operation.

2.- In themanufacture of filter tip cigarettes'by uniting an assemblage of cigarette and mouthpiece stub portions by a uniting; band, the steps comprising rolling the assemblagebetween rela-.

tively movable surfaces, and displacing the outer portions of one of said surfaces inwardly toward each other to produce a converging effect and to transmit by frictional engagement with said assemblage, a slight axial pressure urging the portions of said assemblage together duringrolling. 3. An apparatusfor uniting an assemblage of cigarette and mouthpiece stub portions by a uniting band, comprising relatively moving surfaces'between which an assemblage and auniting band are rolled, and means forming part of one of said surfaces for urging the elements of said assemblage axially together during rolling.

4. An apparatus for uniting an assemblageof cigarette and mouth piece stub portions by. a uniting band; comprisingrelatively moving surfaces ibetweenwhich' anassemblage and .a-uniting band-are rolled, and meansfor displacing the outer portions of one of said surfaces, whichsurfaceportionsareiin frictional engagement with the portions of said assemblage, toward each other to convergeas thesurfaces move relatively and thereby frictionally exert anaxialpressure on the elements of said assemblagei to urge said elements together duringthe rolling operation.

5. An apparatus for uniting an assemblage of cigarette-and mouthpiece stubpo-rtionsby a uniting band, comprising relatively moving surfacesbetween which an assemblage-and auniting band are rolled, an additional moving surface: in contact with-said assemblage, said additional surface beingpositioned alongside-and inthe same plane as one of-said moving-surfaces, and means for displacing said additional'moving surface along withand transversely toward said one moving-surface lying-in the same plane therewithto frictionallyexert an'axiallpressure on the elements of said assemblage urging said elements together.

6. An apparatus for uniting an-assemblage of cigarette and mouthpiece stubportions by a uniting band, comprising relatively moving surfaces between which an assemblage and a'uniting band" are rolled, additional moving surfaces in contact'with said assemblage, saidadditional surfaces being positioned on opposite sides of and in the same plane as one of said moving surfaces,

and means for displacing said additional surfaces along with and transversely toward said one moving surface lying in the same plane therewith to frictionally exert an axial pressure on the elements of said assemblage urging said elements together.

7. An apparatus for uniting an assemblage of cigarette and mouthpiece stub portions by a uniting band, comprising relatively moving surfaces between which an assemblage and a uniting band are rolled, one of said surfaces comprising three conveyors arranged side by side, the central conveyor en'gagingItHe uniting band applied to the assemblage, and the two outer conveyors, which supportithesouter parts of the assemblage, being arranged: to converge towards the central conveyor.

8: An apparatus for uniting an assemblage of cigarette and mouthpiece stub .portionsiby a :uniting band, comprising.relatively moving surfaces between :which an assemblagelanda uniting band are rolled, one of saidsurfacescomprising a. cone veyor belt of fiexiblelmaterial, andasuction table for supporting said belt beneath the other of said surfaces, said tablehaving trough's extending longitudinally-of said table with suction openings-in the bottoms thereof, the cross-section of said troughs increasing inthedirection of movement of saidbelt so -that a greater portion of the belt will be drawn into'said troughs as it travels over the table thereby causing the outer portions of said belt to contract-toward eachother'during travelofsaid belt to frictionally. urge the ele-' ments-of said-assemblage axially together;

9. An apparatus for-- uniting an assemblage of cigarette and mouthpiece'stub portions by a uniting band, comprising-relatively moving surfaces between whichian assemblageand a -unitingband are rolled, one of said surfaces comprising three conveyors arranged-side by-side, the central conveyor engaging'the uniting ban'd'applied to the assemblage ancbthe two outer conveyors, which support the outer: parts of the assemblage, being arrangedto converge towards the central-conveyor, said centralconveyor-being perforate; and a-suction:tableassociated with said central conveyor for conveying'a uniting band to an assemblage;

l0.--An--apparatus-for uniting an assemblage of cigarette and mouthpiece stub portions by a uniting band, comprising relatively moving surfaces between which an assemblage and a uniting band are rolled; one of 'said surfacescomprising" a-conveyor belt of-flexible material, and a suction table for supporting said belt beneath the other of'said surfaces, saidtable having troughs extending" longitudinally'of -said table with suction openings in the bottomsthereof, the cross-section of said troughs increasing in the direction'of movement of said *belt so that a greater portion of thebelt will be drawn into said troughs as'it travelsover the table thereby causing the outer portions" of said belt to contract toward-each other during travel of said belt to friction-allyurge the elements of 'sa-idassemblage axially-together, said belt having-a central set of perforations and said suction table having-suction openings adapted to cooperate with the belt perforations for conveying a uniting band to an assemblage,

WILLIAM FREDERICK MAITLAND EDWARDS; 

